Geocosmic Clusterf**k

Astrological storm warnings are posted the entire week with the approach of the Leo New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse on Aug. 11 along with nearly a dozen geocosmic events of significance leading up to this eclipse. Central to the overall tenor of the week involves Uranus stationary retrograde at the beginning of Taurus, lending an unpredictable and volatile twist to mundane affairs. Combined with the unpredictable qualities of both Mercury and Mars retrograde aspecting other planets, nothing should shock us as we press forward into the surging tide of transformation. The key to navigating the coming week is to focus loving attention inward while joyfully participating in the outward things that make us happy and wise.

The Lunar Darkening

We’re now reaching the final week of the current solar-lunar cycle, a cycle which began at the Cancer New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse on July 12; reached its climax at the Aquarius Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse on July 27 and now finally closing ahead of Saturday’s Leo New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse. Being the last of three eclipses suggests something being brought to closure this week, both on a collective scale of expression and on a personal one as well. I would suggest that this is where our shadows more starkly emerge to be recognized and released as we come to know ourselves in a new way.

As with all Last Quarter Phase moons, this is a time for shedding old skin before growing new; of reaping the harvest instead of planting; of letting go of whatever no longer serves our highest good as opposed to clinging to those things out of fear. With this Last Quarter Phase falling between two eclipses, this theme of release carries even more significance. The Moon’s Balsamic Phase (closing crescent) is not only about accepting, but allowing what is instead of what could have been. On a mundane level, this week is best for finishing, completing, finalizing and consolidating.

Solar Eclipse

The Leo New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse takes place on Saturday, Aug. 11 at 5:58 am (Eastern Time) near the middle of Leo (18Leo42). Similar to the Partial Solar Eclipse which was visible in the extreme Southern Hemisphere last month, this one will be visible in the extreme Northern Hemisphere with folks living in Northern Scotland and parts of Scandinavia seeing the Moon take a small bite out of the Sun. Although not as potent as the solar eclipse we experienced last August, there is still some power behind this partial eclipse in that it serves as an amplified New Moon. Opening the cycle in Leo, this would suggest greater levels of self-expression, creativity and drama coming to the foreground over the course of the weeks to come. Events or persons from the past are likely to capture our attention in the days surrounding the Leo New Moon Eclipse although it would be best to wait before drawing any conclusions as this story is far from over.

Uranus Stationary Retrograde

As regular readers are probably aware, the slower-moving, outermost planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) station retrograde every year and spend many months in retrograde. In the big picture, these slow-motion retrogrades tend to be more subtle and don’t have the same immediate impact we find with the faster-movers (Mercury, Venus and Mars). It’s actually when the outer planets are stationary (before and after directional changes) that they tend to act up as their apparent motionless states act as amplifiers for the qualities associated with each planet.

All this week sees Uranus stationary, hovering over the early degrees of Taurus (02Tau33) where its revolutionary, radical and disruptive qualities are seen to be magnified before it imperceptibly turns retrograde on Tuesday. This is going to lend even more potential chaos to the overall tenor of the times in terms of revelations, exposures, explosions and awakenings. Those of you born at the very beginning of Taurus should expect the unexpected, particularly if you’ve been dealing with confining circumstances as the desire to break free of limitations could seem overwhelming.

Once Uranus changes direction, every planet besides Venus and Jupiter will be in retrograde which, symbolically speaking, suggests that the real action is taking place on inner levels of expression instead of overt manifestations. This then is an opportunity for more reflection and review instead of the constant need to put it all out there all of the time. Speaking of which:

Mars and Mercury

As you know, the planet of movement and activity (Mars) and the planet of information and travel (Mercury) are currently retrograde, placing a strong spin on all matters involving words and actions. Mercury joins the Sun on Wednesday (Inferior Conjunction), marking the mid-way point of its retrograde cycle and a time when there can be a noticeable shift in how information is disseminated. Added to the fact that the Moon is in its dark, closing phase, be careful about what you put out there this week, at least until you get the lay of the land.

I’ve been noticing on my news-feed (Mercury) that the popular press has finally gotten hip to Mercury retrograde when five years ago hardly anyone (aside from my faithful readers) knew what that meant. Now I see headlines like: “10 Ways to Take Care of Yourself During Mercury Retrograde,” and “Mercury Retrograde’s Impact on Your Relationship,” or “How to Survive Mercury Retrograde.” Really folks, Mercury retrograde can be a pain in the ass, but it doesn’t call for the over-reactive hype the popular press seems to give Mercury retrograde while completely ignoring Mars retrograde. Ebb and flow.

Of course, the only things that go wrong are inept, reactive thoughts and actions messing things up, both in the short term and the long run. Angry words, uttered or tweeted will come back to haunt while going on the offensive will result in failure and loss. Knowing when to stage a strategic retreat or to keep one thoughts to themselves is really all it takes to navigate this time; in other words, present-time awareness. Being mindful of what is said and done will probably make more sense later, when the dust finally settle. But neither Mars nor Mercury in retrograde are worth getting stressed over, they merely suggest a time to take notes and contemplate.

Lunar Gardening Report

This isn’t a good week to plant or feed with the Moon in its Last Quarter Phase where the trend is more about reaping than it is sowing or tending. Of course, this works out for those of you who planted well so far this season with impossibly luscious tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and melons coming off the vine. Sunday isn’t a bad day to do stuff besides planting or fertilizing in the garden when the Moon is in Taurus, but Monday and Tuesday would be best for harvesting and drying herbs or flowers under the Gemini Moon. Wednesday and Thursday are typically potent planting and feeding days under the Cancer Moon, but with the Moon in its Balsamic Phase, just give your beds lots of water and a little pep-talk. Friday and Saturday are no-go as well with Moon in fiery Leo and in the deepest, darkest shadow of the Moon ahead of Saturday’s New Moon. The next best date for planting and fertilizing arrives on Aug. 14.

Daily Forecast (For all signs)(Times are Eastern Daylight/-0400UTC)

Sunday, Aug. 5: We’re now reaching a period of relative calm, at least as far as the heavens are concerned while the Taurus Moon moves through its Last Quarter Phase. Although there’s enough juice to get projects done around the house, the Taurus Moon can also encourage a more chilled, laid-back experience today. The evening is favorable for picnics, barbeques, parties and other social gatherings with conversations lasting well into the night after the Moon enters Gemini at 9:30 pm.

Monday, Aug. 6: An active day in store with the Gemini Moon amplifying the chatter factor while retrograde Mercury (Gemini analog) does a remix on words uttered or posted. Watch what you agree to as the potential of biting off more than you can chew is strong later in the day (Sun square Jupiter). I also expect this aspect to reflect some kind of news involving courts or legislation with something going off the rails, again. Exiting the straight-laced sign of Virgo, Venus sheds her schoolmarm outfit as she slips over the cusp of Libra and into something more comfortable for the coming month. As Venus is a planetary analog of Libra, this could bode well for intimate relationships in need of a little romance and before things grow serious next month when Venus enters Scorpio.

Tuesday, Aug. 7: Watch for the Moon void-of-course (VOC) in Gemini for the entire day today, messing with our best-laid plans and sincere agreements. But this is the least of our concerns considering Uranus turns stationary retrograde at 12:48 pm even though its apparent motion has been nearly imperceptible for the past five days, Unexpected, shocking, explosive and revolutionary developments are on tap at this time with a push-comes-to-shove factor at the very beginning of the fixed earth sign of Taurus (02Tau33). Eye-openers and awakenings go side-by-side with plenty of WTFs thrown in for good measure, we should expect things to grow even stranger in the days to come. One day following Venus’ entrance into her ruling sign of Libra, she forms a flowing (trine) aspect to Mars retrograde which offers the potential for passion, creativity, romance and great sex. Due to Venus currently being the most forceful of the two planets (Mars is weakened by way of retrograde), the feminine acts on the masculine in assertive or overt ways instead of the other way ‘round. After spending the entire day VOC, gibbering to itself in Gemini, the Moon crosses the cusp into the emotional waters of Cancer at midnight and we experience a sea-change in the emotional climate.

Wednesday, Aug. 8: Busy, busy day ahead with the Cancer Moon knocking-up against a number of planets, inciting greater levels of feeling and emotion while encouraging our more maternal sides. The centerpiece today involves the Sun-Mercury inferior conjunction (Earth-Mercury-Sun), marking the midpoint of Mercury retrograde and the symbolic rebirth of this planet of interaction, exchange and information. We should expect breaking news of some sort, especially in the way of announcements, proclamations and decrees which will need to be edited, retracted or redacted after the fact. Reactive tweets could prove damaging. With Neptune loosely tied into this conjunction, lies and falsehoods may try to shape the narrative, to no avail. The Moon is also in its closing, Balsamic Phase, which means the focus is on endings while even the most sincere efforts to make something new come into existence will ultimately end in failure.

Thursday, Aug. 9: The deeply-waning Moon is Cancer could have some folks on the edge of tears all day while others tend to matters closer to home, family and property. Mercury retrograde gets tangled-up in Neptune’s web of reality-bending information and misdirection while Venus runs-up against Uranus and Saturn today, suggesting shocks and sorrow with regard to items found in the love, sex and money department. Sudden breaks or unexpected developments in relationships are possible (Venus quincunx Uranus) as well as a sense of sadness or loss as we move into the evening hours (Venus square Saturn).

Friday, Aug. 10: After being put through the ringer this week in terms of planet-to-planet aspects, a day of lunar alignments looks quiet by comparison although with the looks of the aspects involving the deep, pre-eclipsed Moon in Leo, I don’t expect we’ll catch a break at all. Anger and irritation are indicated during the predawn hours while later tonight sees the potential for ideological conversations or arguments that nobody can win. Whatever is taking place at this time is simply a warm-up for the Main Event taking place early tomorrow morning.

Saturday, Aug. 11: The New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse opens a potent new cycle before sunrise today (5:58 am) in the middling degrees of Leo (18Leo42), where it sets into motion any number of scenarios which might have been building over the course of the past week. There’s also some indication that the data-sphere is going into hyper-drive over something meaningful, or totally inane (Mercury retro square Jupiter). Be aware that there is no “Cazimi Window” due to the fact that the New Moon is eclipsed and that the Moon will go VOC in Leo at the time of the eclipse (5:58 am), remaining void for the rest of the day. Compelling vision and the appearance of power is possible later tonight, but there is no telling how this is likely to manifest with things having been so strange this past week. The Perseid Meteor Showers peak overnight and with the lack of a Moon, we’ll see plenty of them.